


Payback

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 08:06:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8570866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Katja traps Alex in Pandoria.





	

As soon as Alex got close to the rune stone, she knew that this was a trap. But she continued on anyway, because it was her duty to ensure that Jorvik was kept safe. Even if it meant putting herself at risk. The familiar chiming of the time bubble soothed her, reminding her of many (possibly one-sided) conversations with Anne in just this environment. She’d told her about what had been going on in Jorvik, the latest fashion trends (or what she could make of them from the news), how her family was going. How she was going. Alex wasn’t sure if Anne could hear any of it, but she hoped that she could. Hope was what kept her going.

“Oh, finally, I thought you’d never show up,” said a familiar voice, startling Alex out of her thoughts. She immediately reached for her rune wand, but Katja pinned her wand hand to the rune stone with a spell. The contact sent a surge of magic through Alex, and it hurt.

“If you’re seriously still trying to win me back-“ Alex started, but a cry of pain cut off her words as her other hand slammed into the rune stone.

“I’m not,” said Katja, her eyes blazing but wet. “If you want to be with her so bad, then go be with her!” The rune stone exploded into fragments of stone, and Alex fell backwards into the hole that remained.

Even before Alex’s eyes had adjusted to the bright pink landscape, she knew where she was. And she knew that Lisa was right- she _could_ feel Anne here. Only, as Elizabeth had suggested, Alex could feel exactly where Anne was. It was like a tugging in her soul. She got to her feet and followed the tug, not noticing the stinging pain that remained in her. She didn’t bleed here, at least. Her body was already frozen.

Louisa was called to the site of the accident a few hours later. The time bubble had collapsed, and now pink magic poured into the world from the hole.

“How am I supposed to fill it in?” she asked her horse.

“Maybe it’s like the Pandoric cracks?” Sam, her horse, suggested. “Just suck up the magic and then catch the blue stars.”

“It’s worth a shot,” said Louisa, putting her wand away and getting out the Shadow Sucker. After catching the stars, the pink faded away and only a hole remained. Well, that and multiple shards of rock. A golden pony trotted over from nearby.

“Oh, good, you’re here,” said Tin Can. “Um, I have news for the druids.”

“What happened?” asked Louisa. “How can a rune stone just explode like this?” 

“Well, I saw Alex go into the time bubble surrounding the rune stone, but she didn’t come back out,” said Tin Can. “Usually she comes back out immediately after going in, but this time…”

“Is it possible that she fell in the hole?” asked Louisa.

“Well, there’s no… remains aside from a little blood, so that must be what happened,” said Tin Can. “And I can’t feel her anymore.”

“Starshine said the same thing about Lisa when she was in Pandoria, so that seems likely,” said Louisa.

“Well, let’s just hope that she has her rune wand with her,” said Tin Can. “Though, she’s powerful enough to be able to use magic without it. I have full confidence that she’ll be just fine.”

“And she can probably rescue Anne while she’s there,” said Louisa.

When Louisa eventually returned to Valedale with the news, there was another familiar face there. Though, these blonde locks didn’t belong to a pony.

“Mrs Cloudmill?” said Louisa, surprised to see her. “What are you doing here?”

“She showed up not long after you left,” said Linda. Louisa was surprised to find Mrs Cloudmill looking… well, like a druid. Her ratty blonde hair had been brushed and was held back in a ponytail, and her green robes looked and smelled clean.

“I came because my daughter is in trouble,” said Mrs Cloudmill.

“But I only just found that out myself,” said Louisa.

“A mother always knows,” said Mrs Cloudmill. “What happened to her and how can I help?”

Alex followed the tugging in her gut until she found a part of Pandoria that looked distinctly prison-like. There were caves in the side of a cliff, some further up than others, all with bars over them. The tugging told her that she needed a cave towards the middle of the cliff, but how was she supposed to get up there?

“Alex?” The sound of Anne’s voice almost drove her mad.

“Anne,” said Alex, grinning up at her. “I’m coming, just hold on.”

“There’s a way into the cells from inside the mountain,” said Anne. 

“How do you know?” asked Alex.

“Well, I used to be able to roam free,” said Anne. “But then after I managed to free Meteor, my jailers found me and locked me back up. This time, they also chained me here.”

“Where’s the entry?” asked Alex, taking out her rune wand. She’d already used it to destroy multiple Shadow Seekers, but it was probably time to use Soul Strike to free rather than to kill. Alex followed Anne’s directions, her excitement mounting as her soul was tugged closer and closer to Anne.

When Alex finally opened the inner door to Anne’s cell, she didn’t care if this wasn’t safe. She just ran to her girlfriend and held her tightly in her arms, kissing her. She wasn’t the only one crying, either.

“These chains aren’t magic proof, are they?” asked Alex, looking at the chain shackled to Anne’s ankle.

“Not to outside magic,” said Anne, smirking. 

“Okay. Umm. I’ll just break the chain,” said Alex, and aimed the spell as far away from her girlfriend as she could. As soon as the chain broke, Anne jumped into Alex’s arms and kissed her again.

“How did you get in here?” asked Anne, finally pulling away after much kissing and holding. She finally noticed the gouges in Alex’s arms when her fingers came away bloody from holding her.

“Katja lured me into a trap,” said Alex. “Then she blew up a rune stone and I fell through the hole into Pandoria.”

“That’s almost how I was trapped, too,” said Anne. “Only I was tricked into believing that I had an interview. By the time I saw Jessica sitting there smirking at me, it was too late.”

“We can go after them both when we’re free,” said Alex. “I promise. Now, where’s Concorde?”

“He’s trapped in a cell a few cells across from me,” said Anne.

“How are we supposed to get him out?” asked Alex. She’d noticed that the passageway to the cells was too small for a horse to get through.

“Oh, it should only be a matter of breaking another chain and blowing some bars away,” said Anne. Alex looked dubious. “Trust me, Pandoria has changed my noble steed.”

The two of them walked holding hands to the other cell, even though Alex had to walk behind Anne. They didn’t want to stop touching each other, even for a moment. Alex was glad that her blood had stopped flowing, otherwise she would’ve bled out from how hard her heart should’ve been beating. For years, this was all she’d ever wanted. And now she was getting it, even if not exactly in the way that she’d expected or planned.

“Concorde,” Anne called gently once they reached the cell, and Alex heard rustling and the sound of horse hooves clopping on stone. She could hear feathers for some reason. Was there a bird in there?

And then Alex stepped into the cell behind Anne and gaped at what she saw. Concorde had changed, alright- into a Pegasus. He still looked as regal as ever despite his imprisonment, only now he had two large, feathery wings tucked neatly against his sides.

“Your knight in shining armour has arrived at last, princess,” said Concorde. “Only, without the armour. Though it looks like it might have helped her.” Anne petted his mane and face, bonding with her horse. She hugged his neck and he nuzzled her back, making contented noises. Alex edged closer to him, needing to see if his wings were real.

“Wow,” said Alex, feeling the large feathers beneath her hand. Concorde snorted and turned his neck to look back at her.

“I am not a zoo animal,” said Concorde. “Though my surroundings may say otherwise.”

“Right, sorry,” said Alex, pulling her hand back. “I’ll free you now. Hold still.”

Another blast of Soul Strike shattered the chain holding Concorde in his cell.

“Alex, how are you with firing Soul Strike from horseback?” asked Anne as she mounted her horse.

“Well, I defended Silverglade Village like that a few months ago,” said Alex.

“Good! Then climb on board and destroy those bars. I do love to make an entrance. Or exit, in this case,” said Anne. Alex could see what Anne was talking about and climbed onto Concorde behind Anne with a grin. She readied Soul Strike, aimed at the bars, and then frowned.

“Back up a little,” said Alex. “And maybe close your eyes.”

Concorde did so, and then Alex fired.

The bars all exploded outwards, thankfully, and were soon followed by a Pegasus leaping out into the air and flapping his wings to gain altitude. Alex wrapped her arms around Anne, feeling excitement and contentment surging through her, and leaned her head into Anne’s shoulder as a portal unfolded in the air before them.

Pink turned to purple almost instantly, and Concorde hit the ground at a canter before coming to a gentle stop. Alex really didn’t want to let go of her girlfriend, even though they were home now. Anne closed the portal behind them, though, and then dismounted.

“Well, everyone, I’m back,” said Anne, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Alex quickly dismounted, knowing what would happen, and was glad she was on the ground when Concorde collapsed. She managed to catch Anne so she wouldn’t fall onto the unforgiving stone of the Secret Stone Circle.

Everything turned hectic after that. Alex was reluctantly separated from Anne so that Anne could get the medical care she desperately needed, and then it was Alex’s turn to be the impatient patient.

“I’m fine, I have to go see Anne,” said Alex, shrugging off the hands of the nurse.

“Alexandra, you will sit there until I patch you up,” said the nurse. Alex recognised that voice, and then she finally actually looked at the nurse.

“Mama?” said Alex. She wasn’t sure how many more surprises she could take.

“I knew you were in trouble,” said her mother, picking up a pair of tweezers. “Now, lay down on your stomach on the bed. I need to remove all these rock shards.”

Alex did as she was told and tried to keep still, even though it hurt like hell. She grit her teeth, but then decided to try talking. Elizabeth’s house buzzed with the sound of voices discussing their discoveries, particularly the grey Pegasus currently resting in the stables.

“Your hands are steady,” said Alex.

“I went into rehab not long after I last talked to you,” said her mother. “I decided that I want to be a druid, like you.”

“Really?” asked Alex, turning her head to look at her mother.

“Hold still. And yes, really,” said her mother. Alex could hear the fond smile in her voice. “I may not be able to follow your brothers, but the druids are always looking for more members. And my daughter is a Soul Rider, so it’s only natural.”

“Now you can patch me up,” said Alex. “Like when I was younger.”

“Yes,” said her mother. “This might sting.” Despite the warning, Alex hissed as the antiseptic was wiped over her wounds.

“Where’s Lisa?” asked Alex. “Normally she heals me.”

“She’s busy with your girlfriend,” said her mother. Alex grinned.

“I’m so happy to have her back,” said Alex. “Even if she is weak as a newborn at the moment, at least she’s here. With me.”

“I’ll advise the druids to not keep you away,” said her mother. “You know that they’ll want to.”

“I know,” said Alex. “Infection and all that. But nothing could keep me away, mama. I’ve been kept away for too long.”

“I know,” said her mother. “You deserve to be with her, Alex. Now, let me concentrate here. I haven’t stitched anything since you were in the ninth grade.”

Normally Alex would’ve protested at the use of chemicals, preferring natural alternatives, but right now, she didn’t care. Whatever got her to Anne faster. So she didn’t complain when her mother used a needle to numb the area, instead just lying there silently. She was tired now, after everything that had happened, but she couldn’t sleep yet.

“All done,” said her mother. “I’ll go ahead and warn the druids that you’re coming.”

Alex got up and tried to put a shirt on, then winced at the pain of her stitches pulling. So instead, she sat on the bed and waited for her mother to return.

When her mother did return, she laughed at the sight of her daughter sitting on the bed, pouting.

“Yes, I probably should have put a shirt on you before I left,” said her mother. “Here.” She rummaged in Elizabeth’s closet, then finally found a pale green robe and helped her daughter put it on.

“Thanks, mama,” said Alex. She followed her mother through the house, then, until she came to Elizabeth’s spare bedroom. There were a lot of people outside it, but they parted to let her through. Anne was fast asleep, hooked up to things and glowing with healing energy, but nobody stopped Alex from getting on the bed and lying beside her. Nor did they stop her when she gently kissed Anne’s lips, murmured her name, and fell asleep. At least the bed was a double.


End file.
